Fertilizer-distributer.



PATENTED DEC. 31, 1907. J. R. AYERS. FERTILIZER DISTRIBUTER. APPLICATION FILED JUNE 1o. 19o?.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

No. 875,564. PATENTED DEC. 31, 1907..

' J. R. AYERS.

FBRI'ILIZER DISTRIBUTER.

APPLIQATION FILED JUNE 10. 1907.

- 4 SHEETS-snm 2.

I l /Y IIN@ Q @Hmmm f MvT/M8858: INVENTUR No. 875,564. PATENTED DEC .,31',190'7.

J. B.. AYERS.

FERTILIZER DISTRIBUTER. lAPPLIoJlIo'N ,FILED JUNI: 1o. 1901.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

' TORNEI/J.

No. 875,564. 'PATENTBD DEG. 31, 1907. J. R. AYERS.

PERTILIZER DISTRIBUTER.

.APPLICATION FILED JUNE 10. 1907.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

WITNESS/5S:

UnTTED sTATEs PATENT oEEIcE.

JAMES R. AYERS, OF PETERSBURG, VIRGINIA.

FERTILIZER-DISTRIBUTER.

To all whom 'it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES R. AYEEs, residing at Petersburg, in the county of Dinwiddie and State of Virginia, have invented certain new and useful Im rovements in Fertilizer-Distributers, of which the following is a specification.

My invention primarily has for its object to provide an improved construction of fertilizer distributer Wherebythe parts can be easily and cheaply manufactured and in which the arts are coperatively combined to admit of) their being readily assembled to produce .a stable and durable mechanism which will readily and effectively serve for its intended purposesf In its generic nature, my invention comprises an improved distributer of the type disclosed in my Patent No. 711,274, granted October 14, 1902, and the invention also has A for its object to provide an improved form of vention.

agitating mechanism, an improved .adjustable shelf or gate within the hopper over the outiiow port thereof, an improved shifting lever mechanism for throwing the machine into and out of gear, together with certain other novel features of .construction all of which will be first described in detail and then be specifically pointed out in the a pended claims, reference being had to t e accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is an inverted plan view of my in- Fig. 2, is a central, vertical. longitudinal section thereof. Fig. 3, is a horizontal section on the line 3 3 of Fig. 1. Fig. 4,. is a perspective -view of the spider or bracket. Fig. 5, is an inverted plan view of the main casting or bottom. Fig'. 6, is a detail erspective view of a portion of the main siiaft and one'drive wheel, parts being broken and separated. Fig. 7, is a detail perspective view of the guano outlet regulator.v Fig. 8, is a detail perspective view of the gear shifter. Fig. 9, is a detail perspective showing the method of'mounting the front plowing or furrow opening disks. Fig. 10, is a detail view of one of the adjustable handle connections. Fig. 11, is a detail view of the rear plow raising handle.

Referring now to the accompanying drawings, in which like letters and numerals of reference indicate like parts in all of the figures, 1 designates the hopper 'which may be of the conventional shape, the bottom of the hopper having a trough portion 1, formed 1n the main casting A, as shown.

` Specification of Letters Patent. v Application ned June 10.1907. serial No. 378,180.

Patented Dec. 31, 1907.

2 designates a deector guide bracket which projects from one side of the casting A. In lieu of projecting the bracket 2 over the discharge throat of the hopper, as is done in my patent hereinbefore referred to, I provide an adjustable shelf 3 which has a ub portion 3X having a serrated face .to coperate with the serrated face of the hub portion 3y of the lever 3, the hub portions 3x and 3y being held in the bearing apertures 3b of the hopper 1, and the handle 3 and the shelf 3 being secured together by the bolt 3ZL and nut which coperates there with, as clearly shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings.j The lever 3c permits the hubs 3X and 3y being rotated-and in turn the shelf 3 tilted at different angles to the bottom ofthe hopper 1 for urposes of adjustment. The lever 3 has-a and engaging portion 3d and an elongated slotted portion 3e which, coperates with a bolt and wing nut 3f to hold the lever 33 in its adjusted positions.

In order'to regulate the feed of the discharge, I provide a gate 5 which is mounted in the discharge throat 1y of the casting A, the construction of which is best shown in Figs. 3 and 7 of the drawings, by reference to which it will be seen that thek gate 5 is ful-l crumed lon a bolt 5x and is held pressed against the bracket 2 by a coil spring 5y which is also carried on the bolt 5X and beneath the gate 5. The gate 5 includes an arm 5a which projects beyond the bracket 2 and has rack surfaces 5b to cooperate with the rack surfaces 2b of the bracket 2. The gate plane and is xedly' connected with the Worm I shaft 4 of the stirring mechanism. 4The lower yend 4d of the shaft 4C is journaled in the central bearing socket 6aL of a spiderl 6 which is securely bolted to the casting A and which spider 6 also has a rearwardly rojecting bracket member 6b to which the eflectcr J 1s connected in a manner similar to that disclosed in my patent hereinbefore referred to. The spider bracket 6 is also provided llO `manner o center thereof.

.the relatively fixed portions H of the handles H are fixedly secured by bolts or otherwise. The brackets 10 also have apertured bearing portions 10C to receive the angled .ends 25X of the'yokershaped bar 25. As shown, the bar 25 may be of the same con struction as that shown in my patent hereinbefore referred ,to and it includes the central hub portion 25a for engaging the cou ling member 50, see Figs. land 2 of t e drawings.

The cou ling member 50 together with the fpsecuringthe bar 25 thereto, and the manner in which the axles 30a are secured to the coupling member may be the same as that disclosed in my patent hereinbefore referred to, and as may also be the construction of lifting bar 70 and its detent 80 as well as its connection with the coupling member 50, and a further detailed description thereof is thought to be unnecessary.

The manner in which the rear cutting or covering disks 40 are mounted on their respective axles 30a, forms an essential part of my present invention. A split clamp member 4()aL having a conical bearing portion 40h to receive the similarly formed end 40C of the hub 40d of the disk 40 is secured to the axle 3()a at each side of the The hub 40d is also provided with a conical bearing 40e to cooperate with a second split clamp member 40f which has a conical bearing'surface 40g to cooperate with the bearing 40e of the hub 40a as clearly shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings.-

The main drive shaft C passes through the bearing portions 10d and 10a of the brackets,

10, the conical bearing recesses 10d of the brackets 1() cooperating with the vconical bearing surfaces 112l of the bearing sleeve 112 which is held loosely on the axle C and has an annular collar portion 112b at its opposite end to engage with the hub portion 12a of the spider lframe 12b that forms a part of the drive Wheel 12. Between the hub 12a of the spider frame 12b and the main hub portion of the wheel, a ratchet gear 12d is mounted on the shaft C and locked t6 rotate 12f designates a pawl carried b v the wheel for engaging the ratchet gear 12I to lock the same, and cause it to rotate with the drive wheel 12 when the drive wheel 12 turns in the proper direction.

Mounted on the shaft C between the brackets 10 is a pinion c which is adapted to mesh with the master gear b of the member B. The

pinion c has a sleeve c splinedto the shaft C to be endwise shiftable thereon and the pinion c is normally held in engagement with the gear b, by a coil spring d on the shaft C in a manner similar to that shown in my patent hereinbefore referredl to.

c2 designates a sleeve mounted on the shaft C to be endwise shiftable thereon, and the sleeve c2 has a flange c3 to cooperate with the finger 6c and groove of the spider 6 which prevents the sleeve c2 from turning with the shaft and at the same time permits its longitudinal shifting. The sleeve c2 has a groove portion c4 to cooperatively receive the crank end E of a shifting lever E which asses through a bearing 101i on one of the brackets 10 and also through the supplemental bearing 110x of the supplemental bracket 110 that is secured to one of the fixed handle portions H of the handles H of the machine. The-shifting rod E has a hand engaging lever -portion E2 for rotating the rod E to shift'the sleeve c2 and in. turn shift the pinion c out of engagement with the-gear b to render the agitator mechanism inoperative at times. Y

The fixed portions H of the handles H are connected at their outer ends by a cross bar g and are furthermore connected by straps g connected with the hopper 1, the stra s g and the cross bar g. being connected wit the upper ends of the fixed handle portions H by bolts g3 as will be clearly understood by reference to the drawings.

The bolts g3 pass through adjustable connecting members 75 which connect the fixed handle portions H with the adjustable handle portions H2 of the handles H. The connecting members 75 are shown in detail in Fig. 1() and consist'of a grooved plate adapted to fit on the ends of the handle sec'- any desired angle to suit the convenience of the operator. v

Secured to the main casting A and )rojected forwardly therefrom is the combined draft bar and cutter and furrow opener disk carrier P from which the disk shaft bolts 17 project. Upon eachbolt 17 is mounted a sleeve y 17fL having a conical bearing hub 17b to coperatively engage the conical bearing seat 20x of the hub 2()a of the rotary disks 20, the hub 2Oa having a seat 20c to cooperate with the bell member 20f which is held on the bolt 17 by the nuts 17X. Thus it .will be seen the sleeve 17EL is loose on the shaft bolts 17 and the hub 20a turns loosely on the sleeve 17a, thus giving an ample easy running bearing for the disks 20, as will be readily understood by reference to the drawings.` This improved means for mounting the front disk orms an essential part of my present invention. The agitatng means which also forms an essential part of my present invention, it will be noticed consists of the worm shaft 4" whose upper end 4e is held in the bearing 4" on a cross bar or strut 4g held Within the hopper 1 and the worm shaft 4" carries a worm 4 which meshes with the worm gear or pinion 60 on the agitator shaft 61. The agitator shaft 61 is horizontally mounted in bearing members 62 which are secured to the side walls of the hopper 1, and the shaft 6l carries adjustably and removably secured arms 63 which are secured to the shaft to rotate therewith and serve the function of agitators.

64 designates a s-tirrer secured tothe worm shaft el directly over the bottom a )erture of the casting A and in alinement wit the discharge opening thereof, the stirrer rotating on an axis at right angles to the axis of rotation of the arms 6l and form in conjunction with said arms the agitating and stirring mechanism which prevents the choking or clogging up of the ho per.

n the practical application of my invention, the front plowing` disks 20 serve to plow up the ground and open a furrow in the usual manner, while the rear disks 40 serve as coverer disks to cover up the ground after the fertilizer has been distributed thereover. y It will be also noticed -that all of the essential parts of the operating mechanism are connected with the main or master casting A and it will be also noticed that by reason of the peculiar combined draft and supporting bar P, and the manner in which the trench or furrow openers are attac-hed, a very effective means for digging the furrow is provided, and means are also provided for so supporting the disks on the draft member that the side pressure of one disk is balanced by the other. The manner ol' supporting the rear end of the covering mechanism admits of.

readily changing the position of the said mechanismfrom an inoperative to an operative one, which is accomplished by slipping the detent devices to a released position, an

after being thus released the same can bemade to hold the coverer devices at the desired adjustments by sim ly raising up on the handles H, until thcd) the bar g.

Thile I have shown my invention as especially designed as a guano or fertilizer distributer, it is obvious that with but slight changes of the dropping mechanism it may be utilized for planting purposes.

From the foregoing description taken in materials within the etent 80 engages A tween said rotatable shaft and connection with the accompanying drawings, the complete construction, operation and numerous advantages of my invention will be readily understood by those skilled: in the.

-art to which the invention appertains.

l. A machine as described, in combination with the hopper having a discharge throat at the side of its bottom, of a regulating gate held in said discharge throat, and an adjustable shelf held in said hopper over said discharge throat, substantially asslmwn and described. v

2. In a machine as described, the combination with the hopper having a discharge throat at its side and a regulating gate held in said discharge'throat, of an adjustable shelf h'eld within the hopper and in operative relation with said discharge throat, and means on the outside of the hopper and cooperatively connected with said shelf for adjusting the same, substantially as shown and described.

In a machine as described, the combination with the hopper having a discharge throat at its side and a regulating gate held lin said discharge throat, of an adjustable shelf held within the hopper and in operative relation with said discharge throat, means on the outside of the hopper and cooperatively connected with said shelf for adjusting the same, said last named means comprislng a lever, a pivotal connection between the lever and the shelf, and means in its adjusted ositions substantially as shown and descri ed.

4'. In a machine of the class described, the combination with the hopper having a bottom provided with a discharge throat, a gate co eratively held in said discharge throat, a s ielf connected with said hopper and c0- operatively held vwith respect to said discharge throat, combined with the stirring mechanisms comprising a rotatable shaft, a stirrer secured thereto adjacent y said discharge throat, an agitator shaft mounted in bearings insaid hopper, gear connections besaid agitator shaft and a 'tator arms mounted on said agitator shaft, substantially as shown and described.

5. In a machine of the class described, the combination with the wheeled drive shaft, the ho per and the means for mounting the for holding the lever ldrive-s aft on the hopper, said hopper having a discharge throat, of a gate adjustably held in coperative relation with said discharge throat, an agitator and stirring mechanism held within the hopper, means for driving said agitator and stirring mechanism from the drive shaft, a shelf held within the hopper, said shelf having a hub provided with a serrated face and held inthe bearing apertures in the hopper, a lever having a serrated faced hub portion likewise heldin said,

hopper bearing portion to engage 'with the and driven from the drive shaft, said agitator hub portion of the'gate,a boltforlioldin;r said and stirring mechanism com rising a vertihub ortions in Contact to form a pivotbearcal ly dis osed worm shaft, an a horizontally in or said vate and lever, and means for disposer agitator shaft geared with said 15 5 ho ding said xlever in its adjusted positions, Worin shaft, and avitators mounted on said substantially as shown and described. agitating shaft, substantially as shown and 6. In a machine of the class described, the described. combination with a Wheeled drive shaft, and JAMES R. AYERS'. hoppersu ported thereon, said hopper hav- Witnesses: 10 ing a disc arge throat, of an agitator and JOHN D. WENKINS,

stirring mechanism held within the hopper IDA JONES. 

